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    BPI Expert Faculty

    Chris Cappy

    President

    Pilot Consulting Corporation

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.He is the founding president of Pilot Consulting Corporation, a firm dedicated to leadership development and strategic execution.
    • 2.From 1994 to 2001, he architected and led the implementation of IBM's worldwide Work-Out adaptation, generating billions in returns.
    • 3.He was a faculty member at GE's renowned Crotonville Institute, where he was a lead consultant for Work-Out initiatives.
    • 4.He is the author of "Driving Leaders," a book that applies insights from high-performance driving to business leadership.

    About Chris

    Chris Cappy is the founding president of Pilot Consulting Corporation, a firm dedicated to accelerating business outcomes through leadership development, strategic execution, and change management for corporations across the globe.

    Who is Chris Cappy?

    Chris Cappy is the President of Pilot Consulting Corporation, a firm he established in 1994. With a career spanning over three decades, Cappy has become a recognized expert in leadership development, change management, and executive coaching. His work has impacted numerous Fortune 500 companies across North America, Europe, and Asia.

    Based in Mt. Crested Butte and Denver, Colorado, Cappy leads a global network of over 40 senior consultants and training specialists. His expertise lies in guiding C-suite executives and their teams through complex organizational and professional transitions, focusing on achieving positive performance outcomes and fostering high-performing environments.

    Quick facts about Chris Cappy

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    What is Chris Cappy known for?

    Chris Cappy is known for several significant contributions to the fields of leadership and organizational development:

    • Founding Pilot Consulting Corporation in 1994: Building a global firm specializing in leadership development and strategic objectives for corporations worldwide.
    • Architecting IBM's Worldwide Work-Out Adaptation: From 1994 to 2001, he led the implementation of IBM's Work-Out methodology, which included nearly 500 "Accelerate Change Together" (ACT) initiatives across over 30 countries, generating billions in measured returns.
    • Roles at GE's Crotonville Institute: From 1984 to 1995, Cappy was a faculty member at GE's renowned Crotonville Institute, serving as lead consultant for Work-Out and CAP initiatives for GE Appliances.
    • Developing "Leaders Teaching Leaders": He designed customized, ROI-assessed skill-building interventions under this banner, emphasizing peer-to-peer learning and development.
    • Authoring Driving Leaders: A book that applies insights from high-performance driving and endurance racing to leadership, change, and managing transitions.
    • Principal in Boston University's Executive Challenge Program: Contributed to an award-winning initiative focused on experiential team development.
    • Founding Member of Marshall Goldsmith's Driving Leaders Learning Network: This affiliation highlights his contributions to innovative leadership development approaches.

    What is Chris Cappy's background and experience?

    Chris Cappy's career in leadership development, consulting, and education spans over 36 years. After founding Pilot Consulting Corporation in 1994, he cultivated a network of over 40 senior consultants with extensive Fortune 500 experience, working in more than 40 countries across his career.

    His foundational experience includes a significant tenure at General Electric's Crotonville Institute from 1984 to 1995. Here, he served as a faculty member and led crucial initiatives like Work-Out and CAP for GE Appliances, receiving commendation from Jack Welch for the cultural transformation achieved through the Work-Out process. Following his work at GE, Cappy spearheaded the adaptation of the Work-Out methodology for IBM globally, a project that resulted in substantial financial returns and enhanced execution efficiency.

    Cappy's professional education includes a Bachelor of Science in Production Management from Rochester Institute of Technology. He furthered his academic credentials with graduate work in Boston University's Management Development Program and Columbia University's Advanced Organizational Development Program. He was also a principal in Boston University's award-winning Executive Challenge Program, an innovative platform for experiential team development.

    What topics does Chris Cappy speak and write about?

    Chris Cappy's work consistently focuses on the interconnected themes of strategy, leadership, execution, and change management. He explores how organizations and individuals can navigate transitions effectively, achieve strategic objectives, and foster high-performance cultures. His insights are often derived from practical, large-scale organizational change initiatives and executive coaching experiences. He emphasizes the importance of measured returns on investment for skill-building interventions.

    His book, Driving Leaders, exemplifies his unique approach by drawing parallels between high-performance driving and the dynamics of leadership, change, and managing transitions. This work explores how disciplines found in motorsports can inform and improve executive and entrepreneurial leadership performance, highlighting the need for precision, adaptability, and strategic thinking in fast-paced environments. Cappy also discusses organizational development, emphasizing collaborative problem-solving and cross-cultural engagement for sustainable results, as evidenced by his work with GE and IBM.

    How does Chris Cappy contribute to the Best Practice Institute?

    Chris Cappy is an Expert Faculty member of the Best Practice Institute (BPI), contributing his extensive knowledge in leadership development and organizational change to the BPI community. Through his association, members gain access to his insights on strategic execution, executive coaching, and fostering high-performance teams.

    His work aligns with BPI's mission to identify and disseminate best practices that transform workplaces into Most Loved Workplaces®. Cappy's focus on ROI-assessed skill-building interventions and large-scale cultural transformation supports BPI's research into what makes organizations thrive, resonate with the SPARK Model, and enhance the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI).

    Where can you learn more from Chris Cappy?

    You can learn more from Chris Cappy through his engagements with the Best Practice Institute. His insights on leadership, change management, and strategic execution are valuable resources for those looking to enhance organizational performance and foster more engaged workplaces. Additional information about his work and publications, including his book Driving Leaders, can be found through Pilot Consulting Corporation and other professional affiliations.

    Background & Perspective

    Background and Career

    Chris Cappy is the founding president of Pilot Consulting Corporation, a firm he established in 1994 to accelerate business outcomes through leadership development, strategic execution, and change management. With a career of over 36 years, he leads a global network of over 40 senior consultants. Cappy is based in Mt. Crested Butte and Denver, Colorado.

    His foundational experience includes serving as a faculty member at General Electric's Crotonville Institute from 1984 to 1995. There, he was a lead consultant for the Work-Out and CAP initiatives for GE Appliances. Following his time at GE, Cappy spearheaded the adaptation of the Work-Out methodology for IBM globally from 1994 to 2001, implementing nearly 500 "Accelerate Change Together" (ACT) initiatives across more than 30 countries.

    Cappy holds a Bachelor of Science in Production Management from Rochester Institute of Technology and pursued graduate work at Boston University and Columbia University.

    Areas of Expertise

    Cappy is a recognized expert in leadership development, change management, and executive coaching. His work focuses on guiding C-suite executives and their teams through complex organizational transitions to achieve positive performance outcomes. His specialties include strategic execution, organizational development, fostering high-performance teams, and designing "Leaders Teaching Leaders" interventions with measured ROI.

    Key Contributions

    • Founding Pilot Consulting Corporation: Built a global firm specializing in leadership development for corporations worldwide.
    • IBM's Worldwide Work-Out Adaptation: Led a global initiative that generated billions in measured returns and enhanced execution efficiency.
    • Authoring Driving Leaders: Wrote a book applying insights from high-performance driving and endurance racing to leadership and change management.
    • Experiential Learning: Was a principal in Boston University's award-winning Executive Challenge Program for experiential team development and is a founding member of Marshall Goldsmith's Driving Leaders Learning Network.

    Areas of Expertise

    Leadership DevelopmentChange ManagementExecutive CoachingStrategic ExecutionOrganizational DevelopmentHigh-Performance TeamsExperiential Learning

    Research Topics

    LeadershipChange ManagementOrganizational DevelopmentExecutive Coaching

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    The report format includes executive summaries, research-backed articles, company examples, methodology notes, and practical implications for retention, hiring, culture, leadership, and employee experience. New research and analysis is published on an ongoing editorial cadence at /workplace-report.